December 26th
The front lines, eastern approach
Jack was alone which he didn't mind too much, he was sitting in safety that was provided by the foxhole.
That was when several distant hums from approaching aircraft were heard. Then, what everyone was praying to see was confirmed.
"We got C-47s coming in! Pop that smoke and get a DZ set up!" Someone shouted out and Jack watched on as his men came to life.
When Jack himself looked up through the tree canopy, he saw men jumping out of the plane before their parachutes quickly caught their fall.
"Set up a perimeter they're dropping pathfinders in!" Another voice rang out as Jack picked up his BAR and climbed out of the hole that had kept him protected from the freezing wind.
The soldiers along with Jack rushed out to meet the descending troopers landing behind the barn that acted as the company command post.
"Man are we glad to see you! Welcome to the 101st!" A private cheered out as the paratroops began removing their harnesses before grouping with everyone at the barn.
"We have to set up beacons before the main formation arrives, it's carrying a fuck ton of munitions for you guys!" The NCO in charge of the new arrivals declared and with that news, it got everybody into high spirits. Because support was finally coming after all.
Once everything was underway and preparation for the incoming supply drops was ready as the beacons were activated. There wasn't anything to do now but wait. Which wasn't going to be very long, thankfully.
Because far off in the distance, dozens of sky-trains were slowly lumbering into sight and with it. The desperately needed supplies of food, medicine, and much more.
*
15 minutes later, southwest of Bastogne, near Assenois
M4A3E8 Sherman (Easy Eight) designated "Uncle Sam" 1st B/12th R/2nd CO
Staff Sergeant Dustin Parrish
Comfortably sitting in the safety of his tank, tank commander SSgt Parrish could casually look out through the small periscope attached to the hatch above him.
Or if he needed to, he could just pop his hatch just enough for him to peek out of it but that's riskier than just using the viewing port.
He had the Uncle Sam behind the lead tank led by the platoon's junior Sergeant. Then behind Parrish's tank was the 1st Sergeant with the PltCO bringing up the rear.
The Uncle Sam was an "Easy Eight" as mentioned earlier, so it's been outfitted with the heavier hitting 76mm rather than the Sherman standard 75mm.
This gave the Uncle Sam a fighting chance, giving it enough punching power to punch through German armor at the front.
Compared to the 75mm, it's only able to penetrate the front by a little, that's why it was imperative to flank a Tiger.
With the 76mm, as said it can punch through a little further, making it feared on the field, but, at the same time it made the Easy Eight a priority target. Drastically increasing the hazard of driving this vehicle since it'll most likely be targeted first.
There were four tank platoons in the 2nd company of this attacking element, totaling to twelve Sherman tanks divided into the standard squads of four.
At traveling speed the tanks were in a column with 20 yards separating each other as the race to Bastogne was on.
The elements of Patton's 3rd army had broken through the outer German encirclement and had the Krauts in full retreat.
It was another five minutes before the radio crackled to life and the sounds of heavy combat could be heard on the other end.
"This is the 4th company, we ran into a fucking King Tiger entrenched across a field half a click east, they wiped out the first squad and second is taking a beating, requesting immediate support over!"
Then the company commander from 2nd company answered, "Roger that, hold tight until we get there, out." Then he clicked the radio and spoke to his company "2nd company change course to assist 4th company!" He ordered and immediately the lead tank adjusted his course appropriately and charged forward to the aid of 4th company off in the distance.
*
Across the field from 4th company, Ragnarok
"Feuer frei Lochmann!" Marcus ordered and the young gunner didn't hesitate as he began to dispatch the Shermans with deadly precision.
A few hours prior to the engagement when the order to retreat was issued, the fuel situation for Marcus's tank was dire. They were over extended and running on fumes.
The worst part of it all was the Americans, they were only half a mile away and closing rapidly. So, in order to buy the 1st Asgard Company enough time to escape. Marcus ordered their Tiger II up the small hill to try and slow down the advance.
That was when the tank finally gave out, completely out of fuel and stranded on the hilltop.
Looking out through his cupola, Marcus watched one of the Shermans trying to flee go up in flames once the Tiger II's HEAT round had made contact with the engine block.
That was when the reinforcements from the 2nd company had arrived and all the Shermans in 2nd and 4th company joined the ranks and pressed their attack.
All at once, the 28 Shermans opened fire on the Tiger II's position, the impacts were terrifying and Ragnarok could only take so much from the combined fire raining down on her.
"Herr we're being flanked!"
"Continue shooting Lochmann don't let up! We can't leave unless the tank's on fire!"
They were being rattled and shaken around with each impact, sometimes a shell would pierce through but with no damage caused since it wasn't enough.
"You're free to leave at any time!" Marcus yelled over the deafening sounds of the impact against their tank, but none of them budged an inch.
"Command tank spotted 2 o'clock load APCR!"
A moment had passed before a response came over the constant denting and pinging off against the armor. As minor holes were being punctured into the Tigers armor.
"Loaded!"
"Fire!"
The tank rumbled while the cannon spat out its projectile down range to collide with the Shermans frontal armor.
It carved through the plating like a knife through hot butter, it wasn't a match for the 88mm.
Then as the Shermans continued up and more and more shots were denting and penetrating the side armor, a song broke out over the sound of battle.
"Ob sturm oder schneit... Ob die Sonne uns lacht! Der Tag glühend heiß, oder eis Kalt die nacht!"
Frost was cut off though when a Sherman's AP round almost penetrated the front. That was when everyone started to sing their favorite song that always brought them comfort.
"Verstaubt sind die Gesichter, doch froh ist unser Sinn, ja unsere Sinn!"
Even with Marcus designating targets for Lochmann to fire upon, he immediately continues to sing after his order.
"Es Braust unser Panzer im Sturmwind dahin!"
After another few minutes of designating targets and firing, they continued on with their singing as they were becoming surrounded.
"Für Deutschland zu Sterben ist uns're höchste Ehr!"
It was too late by the time Marcus spotted the greatest danger to them, and before he could even call it out. The 76mm from an Easy Eights armament fired, hitting them directly in the side with an APHE shell.
The result was catastrophic, the shrapnel from the APHE expanded out into the lower section of the tank.
It ripped Frost's head to shreds before taking it clear off of his shoulders and even though his body took the brunt of it. There was enough shrapnel to severely wound the rest of the crew.
Marcus himself was gasping from the pain, there was a massive metal shard embedded into the side of his chest.
"Status report!" Marcus cried out.
"Frost's dead! Lochmann isn't responsive, wait, fuck he's going to bleed out!" Kepler said panicking before he profusely began coughing rather violently.
Marcus was clutching his wound, trying to stop the fatal wound from bleeding too much.
"Herr, I... I can't breathe..!" Kepler's words were cut short once he began to cough more and more violently he began coughing up large globs of blood that was also beginning to spill out from his mouth.
That was when Marcus helplessly watched their youngest crewman die right before him with terror in his wide, scared eyes. There, he saw the fatal shrapnel wound damage dealt with the kids back and upper side of his chest,
"Kepler, no..." Marcus choked out the beginning of his sadness was interrupted by his own horrible coughing that suddenly took over him.
Everyone was dead, and he too felt like he was slowly dying, Marcus could feel it as he got weaker.
With blood soaked shaky hands, Marcus removed his little notebook that had photos of his girlfriend back home attached to it.
"Until Valhalla..." Lochmann whispered it was so sudden that it had started Marcus to say the least.
"Y-You're alive friend?" Marcus wheezed, the pain was unbearable and he was feeling weaker by the minute.
"The force of the explosion made everything black in my vision, and I can still hear ringing... Mein Gott Herr!" He exclaimed before rushing to get over the bodies of his fallen comrades.
"I've lost three friends today and I'm sure as hell not losing a fourth!" Lochmann said, there was raw emotion in his voice that cracked, he was trying to hold back from crying in front of his commander as he came to his aid.
With what limited medical training Lochmann had, he did what he could to bandage the wounds and stop the bleeding.
Lochmann as previously mentioned has gotten away with some hearing damage and a concussion. He should've died right there along with Kepler and Frost, but it was their bodies that shielded him from the shrapnel.
Thinking of his kiss with death wasn't on his mind though, it was sharp and focused on trying to save Marcus's life
He popped the commander's hatch to allow fresh, crisp air and sunlight inside. And thankfully for them, it drew the attention of the mechanized infantry that was riding atop the newer Sherman's coming in from the West.
"Hey Sarge, there are survivors in that Tiger over there!" Someone pointed out on one of the passing tanks.
"I want that tank secured, those poor bastards are probably in no shape to fight!" THe man ordered, even the Sherman commander wanted to see this tiger up close.
The Sherman was given permission to break rank, even the Company Commander was coming over to investigate while the others continued their advance.
"If we don't get any help you're going to die, Herr!"
"I can feel it, Lochmann, I'm not getting out of this one alive... Just... Just help me up, I want to sit on top of my tank one more time." Marcus whispered it was becoming more difficult to stay awake.
Lochmann didn't argue he could see it in Marcus's eyes, they were losing the strength and willpower to stay open.
Doing as he was told, Lochmann helped his dying, dearest friend out to the top of their tank.
They ignored the American's who were cautiously approaching them with their weapons raised. And Lochmann helped keep Marcus upright in a seated position.
He was holding Marcus in his arms and the two sat there in silence for a moment.
"It's a shame really, it's such a beautiful day out here... Please, give this to my girlfriend, the address is on the back." Marcus softly said as he allowed Lochmann to hold and help support him.
Then he gave him his notebook with a lot of his photos from the past four years of everybody.
Marcus had blood dripping from the corner of his mouth as he looked up and noticed the clouds were clearing up and the warm sunshine was shining down on them, gently caressing them and Marcus's face.
"Odin's calling my name..." He joked before coughing some more gasping for air as he leaned back into Lochmann, a softer exhale quickly followed.
Lochmann was holding back his tears as he felt his friend slowly go limp in his arms.
"Until Valhalla comrade, may you find your eternal peace and happiness." Lochmann choked before he started crying uncontrollably into his dead friend, not able to hold it back any longer.
Even the squad of Americans along with the two Sherman tanks stopped to watch and pay their silent respects as their translator had repeated what was said before the honorable tank Commander passed away.
**
Sorry this took so long for me to post, it's been the usual excuse with work, but also it was very hard for me to write this one because my favorite tank crew was dying!
In any case, thank you for the continued support of this book and I hope to see you in the next update! (:
I recommend Der Panzerlied if you want to hear the full song that the crew was singing, but i'm only gonna translate this line here because of its significance in the song
"Für Deutschland zu Sterben ist uns're höchste Ehr!" ~ To die for Germany is our greatest honor!